Roar, Lioness. Roar

Through the Fire

Her feet start to tingle at the notion of pulling the trigger, but, before she can act, a hand lands on her shoulder. Latisha spins around and it is Verlaine. Behind her is Bianca and the rest of the Pack.

"They've blown a hole in the south gate," Verlaine whispers. "The watch towers there are burning husks."

"We know how they're getting in," Patch says. "Now we must close it off to stop the hemorrhaging."

A smile spreads across Latisha's face as she signals for her women to spread out. Two birds, one shot.

"Akiva!" Maira shouts as Verlaine, Patch and Bianca block their path to the smoking hole that used to be the south gate.

Latisha, Tick, and Rebel bar their path of retreat as well.

"You didn't think I'd just let you go again, did you, field mouse?"

The look of panic on Akiva's face feeds Latisha's desire to cause her pain.

"Latisha, your home is under attack," Akiva says. "You don't have time for these games."

"She's right. Besides... she's a wildcat–"

Latisha slaps Tick across the face, ending her ridiculous observation. She may have fought like a warrior, but Akiva is no real wildcat. Patch takes a step forward, but freezes at the look in Latisha's eyes. Tick spits out a mouthful of blood and draws a knife. Rebel drops her ax and steps in between them, a machete in each hand.

The blood rushing in Latisha's ears makes it impossible to hear what the hunters say to one another.

"Latisha, you've won," Akiva says, her tired voice carrying over everything else. "I'm leaving and, believe me, I have no intentions of coming back."

After everything she's done?

"You're not going anywhere. Not until I've finished with you, maybe then I'll let you leave me, yes?"

"No, waster. She's going nowhere with you." Maira raises a crossbow and points it at Latisha's chest.

The party all react as one, raising their own weapons. Latisha can barely think over the burning on the bottoms of her feet. It takes everything in her not to rush forward and see if the valkyrie's trigger finger is faster than her blade.

"You forget where you are, red one, yes? You also forget who I am."

"I don't give a wi–"

"I am the daughter of The Lioness, tu diosa hecha carne!"

She moves forward and Akiva steps between them. The edges of Latisha's vision are consumed by a red haze. At its center is the field mouse, shaking like a branch in the howling winds of a sandstorm.

"Come, field mouse."

"No, we're leaving."

"I don't want you to leave. Say you'll stay, and I'll let your precious May leave. She's not one of us, but you are." Latisha glances at Verlaine, concerned how she'll react.

The words and their meaning, quell the building surge of adrenaline. Latisha doesn't want Akiva in the way she once did, that attraction is there, but it isn't the driving force behind her actions. Akiva seems happy without her and Latisha wants to ruin that happiness like the field mouse ruined everything else.

They lock eyes and for a moment it's just them. No clan, no valkyrie, no fires.

"Kiva," Maira cuts in like a blade. "We have to go."

"May, I—"

Glass shatters and boomwater explodes, engulfing Rebel and Tick in ravenous flames. Bianca raises her blade to meet a charging Black Smoke, stabbing the woman in the side. The reaver whoops and spews a plume of fire into the girl's hair. Latisha barely hears the barking of Verlaine's rifle over the screaming and cursing. Two Black Smokes attack at once, one wields a spiked bat and the other a flaming sword. Excited, Latisha dives into them, using her fist and nails to devastating effect. Gouging one woman's eyes out, she claims her sword and hacks off her head.